Sometimes I think that when people take part in research, they’re told to just say whatever it is that comes into their head - without even thinking about it.

And it looks to me like that’s what happened with this research by the University of Otago into how people feel about the age of retirement and the age someone should qualify for the NZ Super pension.

Here’s how I reckon they did the research.

"Right, thank you for taking part in our survey. Now I just want you to tell me what comes into your head when I ask you these questions. Don’t think about it.

Question 1: Do you think you’ll have enough money to retire?"

Answer: "No".

"Question 2: Should the age you qualify for the pension be increased from 65 to 67?"

Answer: "No".

"Question 3: How can the country afford it?"

Answer: "Pay more taxes".

That surely has to be the only explanation, as far as I’m concerned anyway, for these la-la land findings where most people want the cake and they want to eat it too.

Because, from the research, we know that less people are feeling confident about having enough money for their retirement. I think pretty much everyone would be in that boat, don’t you think?

We’re all living with so much more debt these days; costs are going through the roof everywhere; and aside from Kiwisaver - who can afford to put money away for retirement?

We also know from the research that most people don’t want the retirement age and the age of entitlement for NZ Super to change. So, because we don’t have enough money, we expect the Government to pick up the slack.

But the real doozy - the one that really puts these findings into la-la land territory - is this idea that most people think we should just pay more tax if it means we can all retire at 65 and have enough to retire on.

Think about what you have left after all the costs you have every week. Rent or mortgage, groceries, petrol, diesel, electricity, gas. What else? Insurance. School fees or donations. Childcare costs. Clothes. Medical bills. See what I mean?

And you really think most people can afford to pay more taxes on top of that?

Of course we can’t. But, according to this new research anyway, that’s what most people think we should do if it means we can keep the retirement age and the age of entitlement for NZ Super at 65.

We can’t afford it. And the country can’t afford it. And anyone who thinks we can, is in lal-la land.

You hear some people tut-tutting about other people “living beyond their means”. But they seem perfectly happy - or, at least, they expect - the country to live beyond its means.

Which is exactly what we’re going to be doing if we cling to this pipedream of giving everyone NZ Super when they turn 65. Such unrealistic expectations.

We’ve got a health system under enormous pressure. Our roads are shot. And, at the same time, we’ve got certain political parties talking about cutting taxes. And, when it comes election time, there’ll be people more than willing to tick a certain box if it means them paying less tax.

Which is why I think this idea of paying more tax so we can keep the retirement age at 65 is ludicrous. And, in my mind, we have to stop paying NZ Super to every Tom, Dick and Harry just because they get to 65.

We just can’t afford it.

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